Kalanchoe plant named ‘Opala’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Opala’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniform growth habit; freely branching plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; dark pink-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Opala’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Opala’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary Kalanchoe blossfeldiana selection identified as 3810 (96), not patented. The cultivar Opala was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Opala has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Opala’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Opala’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniform growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching plant habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform, freely and early flowering habit.     -   5. Dark pink-colored flowers.     -   6. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of         the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants         of the parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the parent selection have darker         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Kerinci, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,031. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Kerinic in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Kerinci.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Kerinci.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had slightly larger flowers than         plants of the cultivar Kerinci.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the cultivar Kerinci differed         in flower color.     -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of         the cultivar Kerinci.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Opala’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse during the autumn and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 26° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 10-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about four weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were about 14 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Opala. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     Kalanchoe blossfeldiana selection identified as 3810 (96), not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright and uniform growth habit. Very             freely flowering with numerous compound cymes. Inverted             triangle with rounded crown. Appropriate for 10-cm to 15-cm             containers. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 15 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about six to             seven lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching (removal             of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance             lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 11 cm to 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—147A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Quantity per plant.—About 8 to 13 mature leaves and about 14             to 22 generative leaves.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute to obtuse.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed foliage, upper             surface: 147A; venation, 147A to 147B. Developing and fully             developed foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 147A to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Flowers arranged singly in             compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils. Uniform             and freely flowering habit with usually about 25 open             flowers and about 25 flower buds per lateral branch and more             than 150 open flowers and flower buds per plant. Flowering             continuously for at least seven weeks. Flowers persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night             conditions or during the late autumn/winter/early spring.             Flower initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial short day/long conditions (at least 14 hours of             darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit; under short day/long             night photoinductive conditions, about eight to ten weeks             are required. Actual time to flower is primarily dependent             upon temperature and light intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about 51 days under interior environmental conditions.             Individual flowers last about 22 days on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.3 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid             with development. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Color: 138C; becoming closer to 49D with development.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four fused at the base. Length: About             8.5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Aspect: Flat to slightly upright.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 68A. When opening, lower surface: 58C. Fully             opened, upper surface: 68A. Fully opened, lower surface: 48A             and 49D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four fused at the base. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Aspect: Erect. Shape: Oblong. Apex:             Acute. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 138D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             Erect. Strength: Strong, rigid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About eight             per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther length:             About 0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 150D. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm.             Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: 138D. Stigma shape:             Flat. Stigma color: 8D. Ovary color: 138D.         -   Seed.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color:             Close to 166C. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Opala’ as illustrated and described. 